The invention relates generally to computer system user interfaces, and more particularly to a technique to make a portion of a displayed image blink.
Hyper Text Markup Language (“HTML”) web pages and other images are well known today for display on a computer screen. In some applications it is desirable to make a portion of a displayed image blink. For example, it may be beneficial to focus a user's attention on an icon which represents a problem component or an action item. In such a case, the icon can be made to blink to distinguish it from other static portions of the image and alert the user that action related to the icon is required. There are known techniques to make a portion of a displayed image blink.
In one known technique, an icon can be made to blink by using an animated GIF. In this process, a developer/person uses an existing “paint” program such as JASC Paint Shop Pro program to define two images. The “paint” program provides a library of shapes, symbols, backgrounds and other graphics to assist the user in “drawing” each state of the image. The user can select, move and modify these shapes, symbols and backgrounds as needed to form the images. The user can also use a cursor to draw freehand other shapes as needed to form the images. One image includes the actual icon surrounded by a background region. The background region can be a color or a pattern, such as solid white. The other image comprises just the same background color or pattern with no icon. The developer saves each resultant image file as a (static) GIF file.
Then, the developer invokes an animated GIF program, such as JASC Animation Shop program, to create an animated GIF file using the two (static) GIF files just created. To convert to the animated GIF file, the user identifies or inputs a list of image files to be included in the animation, as well as the length of time each one should be displayed and the order of display. The user also specifies whether the animation should repeat the display of each image in a loop or simply run once and stop. Based on the sequencing, display duration and specification whether the images should be repeated, the animation program translates these images into frames in the animation. Then, the animation program saves the resultant images as an animated GIF file.
Next, the developer defines an HTML file to define a web page. The HTML file includes the name of the animated GIF file. If there is more than one icon or other graphic in the HTML web page, then there will be separate animated or static GIF files for each of them, and the HTML will include the names of these other GIF files as well. If there is text in the web page, then the HTML will define the text directly and its location without reference to a file. When a web browser at a client computer requests the HTML file, a server sends the HTML file and associated GIF files to the Web browser. Modern Web browsers such as Microsoft Internet Explorer browser and Netscape browser have programming to interpret the foregoing HTML file which includes the text and references to the GIF files. Thus, the Web browser will fetch and display both the static and animated GIF images, and will display the different states of the animated GIF images as specified in the animated GIF file. The Web browser will also display the text as specified directly in the HTML file.
It was known to create a single image by defining multiple, superimposed virtual image layers. Each virtual image layer is defined by a separate static or animated GIF file. It was known to define some portions of the outer virtual layer(s) to be transparent to allow the image of the underlying virtual layer to show through. The existing Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Web browsers have programming to interpret these virtual image layers.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,275,236 to Delahunty discloses a system and method for displaying tracked objects on a display. A blinking object may be drawn on top or underneath another object. When the blinking object is turned off (“hidden or “transparent”), areas and objects underneath the blinking object are made visible. When the blinking object is turned on (“visible”), any object underneath the blinking object will be obscured while objects above the blinking object obscure the blinking object. The current location and sequentially displayed previous locations are displayed by unmasking overlay data in the corresponding pixel values.
An object of the present invention is to provide an improved technique for making a portion of a displayed image blink.